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Leisure Reading

Leisure Reading

Leisure A JOINT POSITION STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION, THE CANADIAN CHILDREN’S CENTRE, AND THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH

Developed by the Leisure Reading Board Task Force (2013–2014) of the International Reading Association 2014 There is a story or poem to raise a goose bump on the that will continue throughout their lives. Teachers should toughest skin, and we are well advised to help each child facilitate leisure reading in students’ daily lives outside find it. A child who has never thrilled to words will remain the classroom by encouraging them to engage in leisure indifferent to reading and them. (Sloan, 2003, p. 12) reading at home as an extension of classroom activity and by communicating to families the positive influence on Definition reading achievement of home environments where families Leisure reading, also known as recreational reading, value children’s reading and have a wide range of reading pleasure reading, free voluntary reading, and independent materials available for children. reading, is independent, self-selected reading of a To ensure that students experience the benefits of continuous text for a wide range of personal and social leisure reading, teachers and families should support purposes. It can take place in and out of school, at any students’ reading choices by making available a wide range time. Readers select from a wide range of extended texts, of print, digital, and multimodal texts that align with and including but not exclusive to narrative fiction, nonfiction, expand on students’ interests and that students are able to picture , e-books, magazines, social media, blogs, read without great struggle. These reading materials can websites, newspapers, comic books, and graphic . come from classroom, school, public, home, and online Leisure reading is generally intrinsically or socially and other relevant sources. motivated and a pleasurable activity for the reader. Across the grade levels, teachers should provide daily Students’ home environment, where parents/caregivers opportunities for leisure reading. They should model fiction encourage reading and model their enjoyment of reading, and nonfiction book selection, conference with students has a substantial positive impact on children’s performance during SSR, and hold students accountable for their reading in reading (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Drucker, 2012; OECD, (Reutzel, Fawson, & Smith, 2008). Teachers should provide 2010). In classrooms, leisure reading often takes place time for students to talk with peers or perhaps blog or write during times designated as SSR (sustained silent reading), reflections about what they have been reading, a practice DEAR (drop everything and read), LTR (love to read), or that enhances students’ enjoyment and understanding of POWER (providing opportunities with everyday reading), texts, as well as their sense of accountability for engaging which are the most common terms for classroom leisure in . Teachers and families serve as reading. It may take place within individual classrooms or good role models of lifelong readers when their students be part of a schoolwide activity. see them reading and when they talk with students about the books that they have read. Position Statement Policymakers and administrators should not require Research shows that leisure reading enhances students’ teachers to conduct formal assessments of leisure reading. (e.g., Cox & Guthrie, 2001), In place of formal assessments, teachers should anecdotally (e.g., Krashen, 2004), development record their observations of students’ engagement with (e.g., Angelos & McGriff, 2002), general knowledge (e.g., texts and the range of texts they select for leisure reading. Cunningham & Stanovich, 1998), and empathy for others Listening to students’ or reading their blog (e.g., McGinley et al., 1997), as well as their self-confidence interactions and reflections provides anecdotal evidence as readers, motivation to read throughout their lives, and of their understanding and enjoyment of what they are positive attitudes toward reading (e.g., Allington & McGill- reading. Franzen, 2003; Eurydice Network, 2011). The benefits of leisure reading apply to English learners (ELs) who read Context in English as well as in their native . Because interesting texts provide comprehensible input as well as Leisure Reading Is on the Decline Across Continents practice with reading, leisure reading offers many benefits Results from international surveys of reading conducted for ELs. across countries suggest that variation in reading Given the ample evidence showing the benefits of achievement is related to motivation, engagement, and leisure reading, the International Reading Association (IRA), enjoyment of reading (Mullis et al., 2012). Young people the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and the National who view reading as enjoyable and read outside of class Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) take the following on a daily basis are much more likely to experience position on leisure reading. success as readers. In a U.S. study, high school students Policymakers and administrators should support who regularly engaged in leisure reading scored teachers in providing opportunities for leisure reading significantly higher in reading than did peers who did not in classrooms. Teachers and family members should regularly read for pleasure (National Center for support students in developing leisure reading habits Statistics, 2011).

• 2 • Many young people are not experiencing this success, of additional opportunities for leisure reading (Miller & however. The Progress in International Reading Moss, 2013). They also need support in selecting books. Study (PIRLS; Mullis et al., 2012) survey of 10-year-olds Often, struggling readers select books that are too difficult reported that although 74% of students described themselves for them, become frustrated, and lose interest in reading as motivated readers, on average only 28% actually liked to (Donovan, Smolkin, & Lomax, 2000). read. Similarly, a 2012 survey by the National Literacy Trust When struggling readers engage in leisure reading and of the (Clark, 2013) found that just over half receive support for selecting books (Reutzel, Fawson, & of young people ages 8–16 enjoyed reading very much or Smith, 2008), time to read outside of school (Allington, quite a lot, and 12.2% did not enjoying reading at all. Just 2009), and opportunities to discuss books, they make over half (56%) read outside of school at least a few times gains in reading achievement (Kamil, 2008). Additionally, a week. Between 2005 and 2012, the proportion of survey e-books provide scaffolding for struggling readers through respondents who reported enjoying reading very much or customizable features such as text-to- functionality, quite a lot decreased slightly (from 51.4% to 50.3%). font size variation, a built-in dictionary, and the possibility The likelihood that children and young will to annotate the text through digital thinkmarks (Dwyer & enjoy reading and engage in leisure reading outside of Larson, 2014) and adjust the level of the text. school is influenced by a number of factors, including their gender, age, and reading ability. Trends in young people’s Pressures to Reduce Amount of Time Spent leisure reading habits and enjoyment of reading with on Leisure Reading in Classrooms respect to these factors are outlined below. The U.S. (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000) opened up a Gender. Surveys of children and young adults over many debate about the contributions of leisure reading to overall decades and across continents have shown that girls reading development in its review of 14 experimental are more likely than boys to enjoy reading and to spend studies conducted with K–12 students that were published more time reading beyond the reading requirements of in peer-reviewed journals between 1990 and 2000 (Garan schoolwork (Clark, 2013; OECD, 2010). However, in the & DeVoogd, 2008). Although the panel conceded that 2012 PIRLS study (Mullis et al., 2012), there were fewer there is extensive research showing that good readers achievement differences between the genders when the engage frequently in leisure reading, its members found no reading passages were informational text. These findings conclusive evidence of research demonstrating that silent suggest that daily engagement with a balanced range of reading as an instructional activity in school enhances text genres and modes of texts, in both nonfiction and reading skills and . The National Reading Panel fiction texts, has the potential to motivate and engage both did not discourage leisure reading but cautioned against boys and girls. assumptions that it would develop reading skills and fluency. The panel has been criticized, however, for their Age. The results from the 2009 Programme for failure to seek out research showing relationships between International Student Assessment (PISA; OECD, 2010) leisure reading and or reading conducted with 15-year-olds suggest that enjoyment of comprehension (Sanden, 2014). reading declines as students advance through school. The National Reading Panel’s (National Institute of Over one third of students reported that they did not read Child Health and Human Development, 2000) conclusions for enjoyment, 41% indicated that they read only when regarding the use of scientifically based reading research they had to, 24% considered reading to be a waste of to inform reading instruction have been used to support time, and only one third agreed or strongly agreed that policy initiatives that lead to a decrease in classroom reading is their favorite hobby. This trend was repeated in leisure reading. The goals of fostering a love of reading and the U.K. National Trust’s survey (Clark, 2013), as younger developing a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure have been children (64% of 8–11-year-olds) were more likely than supplanted by the goal of supporting students’ performance older children (45.5% of 11–14-year-olds and 36.3% of on high-stakes literacy tests (Pearson & Goodin, 2010). 14–16-year-olds) to indicate their enjoyment of reading as “very much” or “a lot.” Results of a large sample survey Recommendations conducted with middle-grade students in the United States Two guiding principles organize recommended practices suggest that attitudes toward recreational reading tended to for supporting leisure reading in classrooms and beyond decline as students progressed through the grades in school the school. (McKenna, Conradi, Lawrence, Jang, & Meyer, 2012). Principle I: Readers should choose their own reading Reading Ability. Because struggling readers tend to read materials (Krashen, 2011). Students are better able to less during and beyond the school day, they are in need choose engaging and appropriate reading materials when

• 3 • teachers and family members scaffold their selection of 2. Consult ReadWriteThink’s website (www.readwritethink leisure reading materials (Reutzel, Jones, & Newman, 2010; .org) for guides on supporting students as they read Sanden, 2014). independently during leisure reading time. 3. Encourage students’ families to show their children the Suggestions: enjoyment of reading rather than try to develop reading 1. M ake available for students a wide range of genres and skills. topics representing appropriate levels of challenge and interest for student readers. REFERENCES 2. Partner with school and public libraries or consult the Allington, R.L. (2009). If they don’t read much…30 years later. In E.H. Hiebert (Ed.), Reading more, reading better (pp. 30–54). , following websites to learn more about reading materials NY: Guilford. that students might enjoy for their leisure reading: Allington, R.L., & McGill-Franzen, A. (2003). The impact of summer • Children’s Choices (cosponsored by IRA and the reading setback on the reading achievement gap. Phi Delta Kappan, Children’s Book Council): www.reading.org/resources/ 85(1), 68–75. Angelos, S., & McGriff, N. (2002). Tracking students’ reading progress. booklists/childrenschoices.aspx Knowledge Quest, 30(5), 44–46. • Young Adults’ Choices (sponsored by IRA): www Clark, C. (2013). Children’s and young people’s reading in 2012: Findings .reading.org/resources/booklists/youngadultschoices from the 2012 National Literacy Trust’s annual survey. London, UK: National Literacy Trust. Retrieved from www.literacytrust.org.uk/ .aspx assets/0001/8829/Young_people_s_reading_2012_-_Final.pdf • Teachers’ Choices (sponsored by IRA): www.reading Cox, K.E., & Guthrie, J.T. (2001). Motivational and cognitive .org/resources/booklists/teacherschoices.aspx contributions to students’ amount of reading. Contemporary , 26(1), 116 –131. • NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Cunningham, A.E., & Stanovich, K.E. (1998). What reading does for the for Children: www.ncte.org/awards/orbispictus mind. American Educator, 22(1/2), 8–15. T he Canadian Children’s Book Centre (where you Donovan, C.A., Smolkin, L.B., & Lomax, R.G. (2000). Beyond the • independent-level text: Considering the reader–text match in can sign up for their monthly newsletter): www first graders’ self-selections during recreational reading. Reading .bookcentre.ca Psychology, 21(4), 309–333. doi:10.1080/027027100750061949 3. Introduce students to reading materials that they might Dwyer, B., & Larson, L. (2014). The writer in the reader: Building communities of response in digital environments. In K.E. Pytash enjoy by reading aloud chapters, paragraphs, or sections; & R.E. Ferdig (Eds.), Exploring technology for writing and writing discussing them; and showing delight in the texts. Make instruction (pp. 202–220). Hershey, PA: Science publisher-developed or student-created trailers about Reference. books and other reading materials available for students Eurydice Network. (2011). Teaching reading in Europe: Contexts, policies to view when selecting leisure reading texts (Gambrell, and practices. Brussels, Belgium: Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency. Retrieved from eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/ 2011). eurydice/documents/thematic_reports/130en.pdf 4. Create a “Recommended Reading” bulletin board in the Gambrell, L.B. (2011). Seven rules of engagement: What’s most classroom, in online settings, or in the school hallways important to know about motivation to read. The Reading Teacher, 65(3), 172–178. doi:10.1002/TRTR.01024 for students to post titles and recommendations for Garan, E.M., & DeVoogd, G. (2008). The benefits of sustained silent others (Gardiner, 2005). reading: Scientific research and common sense converge. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), 336–344. doi:10.1598/RT.62.4.6 Principle II: The benefits to students’ fluency, Gardiner, S. (2005). Building student literacy through sustained silent comprehension, and motivation from engaging in leisure reading. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Development. reading are increased when teachers scaffold school-based Kamil, M.L. (2008). How to get recreational reading to increase reading leisure reading by incorporating reflection, response, and ability. In Y. Kim & V.J. Risko (Eds.), 57th yearbook of the National sharing in a wide range of ways that are not evaluated Reading Conference (pp. 31–40). Oak Creek, WI: National Reading (Parr & Maguiness, 2005; Pilgreen, 2000; Reutzel, Jones, Conference. Krashen, S.D. (2004). The power of reading: Insights from the research Fawson, & Smith, 2008; Walker, 2013) and when students’ (2nd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited; Portsmouth, NH: home environments support their self-selected reading Heinemann. (Sonnenschein, Baker, Serpell, & Schmidt, 2000). Krashen, S.D. (2011). Free voluntary reading. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. Suggestions: McGinley, W., Kamberelis, G., Mahoney, T., Madigan, D., Rybicki, V., & Oliver, J. (1997). Visioning reading and teaching through 1. E ncourage students to talk to peers about the texts that the lens of narrative theory. In T. Rogers & A.O. Soter (Eds.), Reading across cultures: Teaching literature in a diverse society (pp. 42–68). they read as part of classroom leisure reading activities New York, NY: Teachers College Press. to develop a reading community and reading culture McKenna, M.C., Conradi, K., Lawrence, C., Jang, B.G., & Meyer, J.P. where students interact socially around texts. (2012). Reading attitudes of middle school students: Results of a U.S.

• 4 • survey. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(3), 283–306. doi:10.1002/ reading: New directions for teachers and researchers (pp. 3–23). rrq.021 Newark, DE: International Reading Association. doi:10.1598/0833.01 Miller, D., & Moss, B. (2013). No more independent reading without Pilgreen, J.L. (2000). The SSR handbook: How to organize and manage support. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. a sustained silent reading program. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook. Mullis, I.V.S., Martin, M.O., Foy, P., & Drucker, K.T. (2012). PIRLS Reutzel, D.R., Fawson, P.C., & Smith, J.A. (2008). Reconsidering silent 2011 international results in reading. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS sustained reading: An exploratory study of scaffolded silent reading. & PIRLS International Study Center, College; Amsterdam, The Journal of , 102(1), 37–50. doi:10.3200/ The Netherlands: International Association for the Evaluation of JOER.102.1.37-50 Educational Achievement. Reutzel, D.R., Jones, C.D., Fawson, P.C., & Smith, J.A. (2008). National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). The Nation’s Report Scaffolded silent reading: A complement to guided repeated oral Card: Reading 2011 (NCES 2012-457). Washington, DC: National reading that works! The Reading Teacher, 62(3), 19 4 –207. Center for Education Statistics, Institute of , Reutzel, D.R., Jones, C.D., & Newman, T.H. (2010). Scaffolded silent U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from nces.ed.gov/ reading: Improving the conditions of silent reading practice in nationsreportcard/pdf/main2011/2012457.pdf classrooms. In E.H. Hiebert & D.R. Reutzel (Eds.), Revisiting silent National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). reading: New directions for teachers and researchers (pp. 129–150). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An Newark, DE: International Reading Association. doi:10.1598/0833.08 evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on Sanden, S. (2014). Out of the shadow of SSR: Real teachers’ classroom reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication independent reading practices. , 91(3), 161–175. No. 00-4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Office. Sloan, G. (2003). The child as critic: Developing literacy through Retrieved from www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/pages/ literature, K–8 (4th ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press. smallbook.aspx Sonnenschein, S., Baker, L., Serpell, R., & Schmidt, D. (2000). Reading is OECD. (2010). PISA 2009 results: Learning to learn—Student a source of : The importance of the home perspective engagement, strategies and practices (Vol. 3). Paris, : Author. for children’s literacy development. In K.A. Roskos & J.F. Christie Retrieved from doi:10.1787/9789264083943-en (Eds.), and literacy in early childhood: Research from multiple Parr, J.M., & Maguiness, C. (2005). Removing the silent from SSR: perspectives (pp. 107–124). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Voluntary reading as social practice. Journal of Adolescent & Walker, K.P. (2013). Scaffolded silent reading (ScSR): Advocating a policy Literacy, 49(2), 98–107. doi:10.1598/JAAL.49.2.2 for adolescents’ independent reading. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Pearson, P.D., & Goodin, S. (2010). Silent reading : A historical Literacy, 57(3), 185–188. doi:10.1002/JAAL.235 perspective. In E.H. Hiebert & D.R. Reutzel (Eds.), Revisiting silent

International Reading Association IRA Board of Directors at Time of Adoption: Leisure Reading Board Task Force 2013–2014 Maureen McLaughlin, President Chair Jill D. Lewis-Spector, President-elect Shelley Stagg Peterson, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of Heather I. Bell the of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Steven L. Layne William H. Teale Members Douglas Fisher Laurie A. Elish-Piper, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, Rona F. Flippo USA Shelley Stagg Peterson Bernadette Dwyer, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin, Bernadette Dwyer Laurie A. Elish-Piper Julianne Scullen, Anoka–Hennepin Public Schools, Anoka, Julianne Scullen Minnesota, USA Mary Lou Benesch, Howells–Dodge Consolidated Schools, Howells and Dodge, Nebraska, USA This position statement is available in PDF form for free download through the International Reading Association’s website: www.reading.org.

© 2014 International Reading Association The Canadian Children’s Book Centre Toronto, Ontario, Canada www.bookcentre.ca

National Council of Teachers of English 1082 6/14 Cover image: Ingram /Thinkstock.com Urbana, Illinois, USA Suggested APA Reference www.ncte.org International Reading Association. (2014). Leisure reading [Position statement]. Newark, DE: Author.

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